l son of Malcolm, formed a conspiracy against him;
and being assisted by William with a small force, made himself master
of the kingdom. New broils ensued with Normandy. The frank, open,
remiss temper of Robert was ill fitted to withstand the interested,
rapacious character of William, who, supported by greater power, was
still encroaching on his brother's possessions, and instigating his
turbulent barons to rebellion against him. [MN 1094.] The king,
having gone over to Normandy to support his partisans, ordered an army
of twenty thousand men to be levied in England and to be conducted to
the sea-coast, as if they were instantly to be embarked. Here Ralph
Flambard, the king's minister, and the chief instrument of his
extortions, exacted ten shillings a-piece from them, in lieu of their
service, and then dismissed them into their several counties. This
money was so skilfully employed by William that it rendered him better
service than he could have expected from the army. He engaged the
French king by new presents to depart from the protection of Robert,
and he daily bribed the Norman barons to desert his service; but was
prevented from pushing his advantages by an incursion of the Welsh,
which obliged him to return to England. He found no difficulty in
repelling the enemy; but was not able to make any considerable
impression on a country guarded by its mountainous situation. [MN
1095.] A conspiracy of his own barons, which was detected at this
time, appeared a more serious concern, and engrossed all his
attention. Robert Moubray, Earl of Northumberland, was at the head
of this combination; and he engaged in it the Count d'Eu, Richard de
Tunbridge, Roger de Lacy, and many others. The purpose of the
conspirators was to dethrone the king, and to advance in his stead
Stephen, Count of Aumale, nephew to the Conqueror. William's despatch
prevented the design from taking effect, and disconcerted the
conspirators. Moubray made some resistance, but being taken prisoner,
was attainted, and thrown into confinement, where he died about thirty
years after. [MN 1096.] The Count d'Eu denied his concurrence in the
plot; and to justify himself, fought, in the presence of the court at
Windsor, a duel with Geoffrey Bainard, who accused him. But being
worsted in the combat, he was condemned to be castrated, and to have
his eyes put out. William de Alderi, another conspirator, was
supposed to be treated with more rigour,